Shadowing Practice: 73 Questions With Taylor Swift | Vogue - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Taylor!
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Hey!
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Hi!
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Come in!
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Thank you so much for fitting a 73-question interview into your busy schedule.
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Oh, it's all good.
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Alright, cool.
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Let's do this.
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So what's keeping you busy these days?
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I'm just working out and getting ready for Grammys.
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What's the most exciting thing in life right now?
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Grammys?
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What are you completely bored of in life right now?
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Clickbait.
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What is something that recently moved you?
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The movie The Martian.
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Okay, what do you have going on over here?
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This is a room where I write a lot of songs.
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Nice piano.
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How many guitars do you own?
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I lost track of that in probably 2007.
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What's the first song you learned to play on the guitar?
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Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer.
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What's the first thing you do when you get an idea for a song?
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I record a voice memo of myself singing it or I write it down in my notes.
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What's your songwriting process?
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Lots of preparation.
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I write a lot of my ideas down before I get into the actual session.
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session.
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What song took you the least amount of time to write?
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Blank Space because I'd written a lot of the lines down already in the year preceding the session.
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Which one took you the longest?
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All Too Well because it's a really emotional song.
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I kept putting it down for months on end.
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So is this the room where you keep all of your awards?
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No, they're kind of everywhere.
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Do you want to see the rest of the house?
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Yes.
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Amazing.
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All right, let's do it.
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Who is your favorite teacher?
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My guitar player, Paul Sidoti, teaches me a lot on the road about piano and guitar.
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If you could teach one subject in school, what would it be?
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English.
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OK, so you're a Scrabble player.
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Yeah, there's a word you might know.
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Check it out.
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Yep, something tells me that's planned.
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Nope, that was spontaneous.
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I'm a very spontaneous person.
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What's your favorite beverage?
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Coffee.
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Would you like some?
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Let's see what you got.
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I have espresso.
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I have regular coffee.
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I have different flavors.
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I have a VMA here.
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You can't really take that, I don't think.
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You definitely can't drink it.
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No, you could stir with it though.
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Actually, I'll have a water.
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Okay.
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Thank you very much.
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What's your favorite cocktail?
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Vodka, Diet Coke.
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What's your favorite food?
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I mean, if we're just saying like, what I wish I could eat every day, if calories didn't count as like, chicken tenders.
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What would you order at a drive-thru?
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Cheeseburger, fries, chocolate shake.
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What was the best birthday cake you've ever had?
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It was from Milk Bar, it was for my 25th birthday, and it was so good that even Jay-Z raved about it.
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Oh, thank you very much.
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What was the last thing you baked?
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A gluten-free, dairy-free chocolate cake.
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What one thing do you need to have in your fridge at any given time?
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Hummus, weirdly.
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What's one thing you still have from your childhood?
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My insecurities.
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Do you want to go outside and check out the other situation?
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Let's check out the other situation.
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What's your favorite TV show of all time?
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Friends.
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Favorite TV show that's currently on the air?
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Dateline.
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What is your favorite movie?
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Love Actually.
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What was a movie that made you cry your eyes out?
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My god, The Martian.
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Why do you think you're the most followed person on Instagram?
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Because my cats are adorable.
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So have you ever googled yourself?
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Yeah.
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Taylor, what do you think when you google yourself?
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I think you should never google yourself again.
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If you had a superpower, what would it be?
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Healing people.
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If you were not a singer, what would you be doing?
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Might be in advertising.
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Maybe, like, coming up with slogans and concepts is the same as hooks and songs.
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Well, this is very lovely out here.
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Thank you.
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Can you show me a really cool or bizarre talent?
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Okay, I'm well aware that this is not a talent, but this is, like, the only thing that I can do.
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I have double-jointed elbows, so...
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No.
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Oh, man.
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Yeah, they're weird.
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They're a little bit weird.
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Yeah.
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What's something you can't do?
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I can't do a cartwheel or a handstand.
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What's the best compliment you've ever received?
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That I'm generous.
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What is the best gift you've ever received?
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My boyfriend planted an olive tree in my yard for Christmas.
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What's one habit you wish you could break?
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Well, when I'm sitting there, usually I just do this with my leg.
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And people think that I'm nervous, and then they get nervous, and then everybody's nervous.
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Do you have any nicknames?
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Yeah, my brother calls me Teffy.
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What surprises you most about people?
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I'm pleasantly surprised by the fact that I tell my friends absolutely everything, and it never ends up getting out.
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What makes you laugh no matter what?
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Kevin Hart.
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What does creativity mean to you?
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Creativity is getting inspiration and having that lightning bolt idea moment, and then having the hard work ethic to sit down at the desk and write it down.
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So I found out Nicole Kidman swam with sharks.
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What's the most adventurous thing you've done?
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Like, watching Shark Week.
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What's your favorite lyrics of all time?
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I had some dreams, they were clouds in my coffee from You're So Vain by Carly Simon.
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What's one song you wish you had written?
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The Friends theme song, because of those royalties.
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What's a great fan moment that comes to mind?
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I'll be driving down the street and I'll see a kid walking down the street with my shirt on for my tour and I'll just stop my car and be like, hey, nice shirt.
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Most memorable career moment so far?
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I think filming the Bad Blood video was my favorite memory.
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What's one accomplishment you're most proud of?
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My Grammys.
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What's something you've always wanted to try but you've been too scared to do?
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Oh, Coachella.
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What's your spirit animal?
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A dolphin because they're very social.
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They travel in groups.
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Hey Taylor!
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Oh hey!
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Hey!
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My wife and I's anniversary is coming up.
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Where should I take her?
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Um, congratulations and you should take her to Big Sur.
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You're welcome.
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It's freezing outside.
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Yeah it is.
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Alright, what advice would you give to anyone who wants to become a singer?
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Get a good lawyer.
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Any pre-show rituals?
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Yeah, I stretch, I warm up my voice, and then my band and dancers and I get in a huddle and it's just good vibes.
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What's the most difficult song to perform on stage and why?
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There's a song I wrote called The Best Day that is about my mom and it's just hard to sing because it makes me really emotional.
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So this is a really great room you have.
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Thank you.
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And you have a lot of cats.
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Yeah.
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How many cats are in this room?
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Probably more than 10 and I don't know if you're counting the one that's alive down there.
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What?
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There's a cat there.
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I see the cat.
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Alright here's one for you.
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If you were a cat, would you get along with your cats?
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Probably not.
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They would probably not think that I'm cool.
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How many cat breeds can you name in 10 seconds?
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When do we start?
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Go.
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British short hair, Scottish fold, Himalayan, exotic short hair, exotic long hair, sphinx cat, munchkin, Siamese, the, the...
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Time's up.
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Amazing.
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What's the coolest thing in this room?
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I can do so much better than that.
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The coolest thing in this room, I think, is the fireplace.
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Nice.
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If you could raid one woman's closet, who would it be?
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Blake Lively.
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What's your favorite fashion trend of all time?
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High-waisted stuff.
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Besides your phone and wallet, what's a couple must-have purse items?
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I have this lavender antibacterial hand spray that I have, and whenever me and my friends are in a public bathroom, we have to wait in line at the sink to wash our hands, I'm like, no, like, check it out.
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Chh, chh, chh.
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Everybody's like, thanks, girl.
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Can you tell me what you'll be wearing to this year's Met Gala?
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I'm going to be dressed as a robot, and I'm going to carry a sword.
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Okay, so my little cousin Julia wants to know, what did you want to do with your life at age five?
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When I was five, I knew that my dad was a stockbroker, but I did not know what a stockbroker was.
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Yet I walked around telling people I'm going to be a stockbroker when I grow up.
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What's the one thing you wish you knew at 19?
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If I could talk to my 19-year-old self, I'd just say, hey, you know, you're going to date just like a normal 20-something should be allowed to, but you're going to be a national lightning rod for slut-shaming.
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What's something you will not be doing in 10 years?
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Something I will not be doing in 10 years.
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I'll be 36.
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I really hope that I'm not stressed about the idea of approaching 40.
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I hope that aging is not something that really freaks me out.
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What do you think is the most important life lesson for someone to learn?
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That karma's real.
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Okay, what can you say in another language?
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I can count to ten in German.
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Do it.
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Eins, zwei, drei, vier, fünf, sechs, sieben, acht, neun, zehn.
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Go, Taylor.
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Thank you.
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Okay, hate to break it to you, but the interview is coming to an end.
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Okay, well, I'll walk you to the door.
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Okay, what did you love most about the town where you grew up in?
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I grew up in Wyemissing, Pennsylvania, and I liked the fact that it had a lot of historic buildings.
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What's the bravest thing you've ever done?
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Writing the Apple Music Letter.
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Most spontaneous thing you've ever done?
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Writing the Apple Music Letter.
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What's one goal you're determined to achieve in your lifetime?
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I really want an honorary doctorate degree because Ed Sheeran has one, and I feel like he looks down on me now because I don't have one.
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Alright Taylor, we did it.
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Now it is time for the final question.
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I'm gonna take you over here first and let you out.
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Okay, great.
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What is your favorite scented candle?
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Byredo Treehouse.
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That is it.
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Oh my God, that's amazing.
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Thanks.
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Go buy it right now.
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Thanks, Taylor.
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See you later.
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Context & Background

In the engaging "73 Questions With Taylor Swift" interview by Vogue, we get a glimpse into the busy life of a global superstar. The dialogue showcases her personality, interests, and creative processes, particularly in songwriting. It provides not only entertainment but also an authentic English conversation rich with everyday expressions and phrases that learners can incorporate into their own vocabulary. Additionally, Taylor's spontaneous responses and reflections offer a unique insight into conversational English, making this a valuable resource for those seeking to enhance their communication skills and gain an understanding of cultural references.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • "What's keeping you busy these days?" - A great way to inquire about someone’s current activities.
  • "What are you completely bored of in life right now?" - A casual way to ask about disinterest in trends or activities.
  • "I'm just working out and getting ready for..." - Useful for discussing personal preparation for events.
  • "What do you have going on over here?" - An informal question to learn about one's surroundings or interests.
  • "If you could teach one subject in school, what would it be?" - A thought-provoking way to discuss personal interests and expertise.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively use the content of this video for your English learning practice, follow these steps:

  1. Watch the Video: First, view the "73 Questions With Taylor Swift" video to familiarize yourself with the context and flow of the conversation. Pay close attention to Taylor’s pronunciation and intonation.
  2. Take Notes: Write down any phrases or words that stand out to you, particularly those from the "Top 5 Phrases" section above. This list will be your reference for shadowing exercises.
  3. Use a Shadowing App: Find an effective shadowing app that allows you to slow down the video or audio. This can help you focus on individual phrases and repeating them accurately.
  4. Practice Shadowspeak: Use the shadowing technique by repeating what Taylor says immediately after she speaks. Focus on mimicking her pronunciation, rhythm, and emotion to enhance your speaking skills.
  5. Review and Reflect: After practicing, take a moment to review your speaking. Compare your pronunciation with that of Taylor's to identify areas for improvement. Regular practice can significantly aid in your IELTS speaking preparation.

By incorporating these methods into your study routine, you can improve English pronunciation and gain confidence in real-life conversations. Learning English with YouTube through engaging content like this not only makes the process enjoyable but also practical, setting you up for success in your language journey.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

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